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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23623180">And Shawarma After</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebelmeg/pseuds/rebelmeg'>rebelmeg</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Rebelmeg's TSB Fills 2020 [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Comfort/Angst, Gen, James "Rhodey" Rhodes &amp; Tony Stark Friendship, James "Rhodey" Rhodes is a Good Bro, Minor Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Missing Scene, Post-Avengers Shawarma Scene, Protective James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Needs a Hug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 17:42:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,254</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23623180</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebelmeg/pseuds/rebelmeg</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The shawarma party is over, the Avengers are going their own separate ways, and Steve sticks around long enough to learn a little bit more about one of his teammates.</p><p>Title: And Shawarma After<br/>Collaborator: rebelmeg<br/>Card Number: 3055<br/>Square Filled: S3 - shawarma<br/>Ship: Tony &amp; Rhodey<br/>Rating: Gen<br/>Major Tags: Steve feels, protective Rhodey, angst and comfort<br/>Summary: The shawarma party is over, the Avengers are going their own separate ways, and Steve sticks around long enough to learn a little bit more about one of his teammates.<br/>Word Count: 1254</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Rhodey" Rhodes &amp; Tony Stark, Steve Rogers &amp; Avengers Team</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Rebelmeg's TSB Fills 2020 [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1591063</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>214</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>IronHusbands, Tony Stark Bingo 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>And Shawarma After</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ceealaina/gifts">ceealaina</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is a fic swap that <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ceealaina">Ceealaina</a> and I did together!  We were chatting about what Rhodey's reaction might be when he finally finds Tony after the events in Avengers1, and then we abruptly veered off in different directions.  Ergo, a swap!  <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23622964">You can find Cee's fantastic fic here!</a>  There is ANGST and FEELS and I WAS SCREAMING AT MY COMPUTER THE WHOLE TIME.  (Good screaming, don't worry, and seriously, go read it!)</p><p>Thank you to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Politzania">Poliz</a>, for your wonderful beta work!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So, shawarma.  Who knew?”</p><p>Steve managed a faint smile as Tony slapped him on the back, the door to the restaurant closing behind them.  Thor had already bid them goodbye and was heading over to where Loki was sitting on the sidewalk several feet away.  The demigod was pinned in place by Mjolnir sitting in his lap, and looked none too happy about it.  Clint and Natasha had their arms around each other as they walked in the other direction, both of them limping from the soreness of sitting down for so long after all the hell their bodies had been through that day.  Bruce was still inside the restaurant, wheedling the shawarma recipe out of the owner, and Steve paused to look up at the alien-free sky.  </p><p>“Looks better that way, right?” Tony said conversationally, running a hand through his hair as he looked up too.  “All better now.”</p><p>Steve looked around at the damaged buildings, the rubble on the street, the odd alien body that was still lying here and there through it all.  “Not yet.  But it will be.”</p><p>“Yes, it will.  See you tomorrow for the send-off?” He jerked his thumb in the direction of Thor, who had just twirled Mjolnir and lifted off, Loki in tow.</p><p>“Yep.  See you then.”</p><p>Nodding, Tony turned and walked away, hands in his pockets.  Steve watched him go for a moment, wondering how in the world the both of them, and the others for that matter, had survived the day.</p><p>Steve was about to turn the corner when he heard a sound that had become familiar, but when he turned around, Tony was still standing there where he’d left him.  Looking around in confusion, Steve gaped a little when he saw a bulky, dark gray Iron Man suit land a few meters from Tony.  </p><p>He was reaching for his shield instantly, the instinct to protect his new teammates already solidified over the course of this awful day.  But Tony wasn’t acting concerned.  In fact, he rather looked like he was… preparing himself for a scolding?</p><p>Before Steve could parse out that weirdness, the gray Iron Man helmet retracted, and a man with dark skin and very short hair immediately started yelling, his heavily armored arms waving around at the destruction around them.</p><p>“Are you kidding me?!  Two days this shit has been going on, and I had to find out on the <i>news</i>?  What the hell?!"</p><p>Interestingly, Tony didn’t even back up as the armored guy advanced on him. “It’s actually more like four days—”</p><p>“Shut up, Tones!  I can’t believe you!  What were you thinking?!”  </p><p>Tony waved a hand in a vague upward direction. “That aliens wouldn’t come pouring out of the sky and I’d have to explain myself, obviously.”</p><p>A grinding sound accompanied by a metallic whine made Steve wince, then the strange man’s Iron Man suit seemed to open up with some difficulty, and he staggered out of it, wearing an army green, skintight flight suit of some kind. “You absolute idiot, I cannot believe this.  Do you have any idea how long I’ve been flying, just trying to get here?”</p><p>“To be fair, that’s partly why I didn’t call you.  I knew you were busy.”</p><p>“Busy?!  Tony, you nearly died!”</p><p>“Oh, I did die, actually, it was very dramatic.  The Hulk screamed me alive again, though, no worries.”</p><p>“<i>You died?!</i> ”</p><p>Steve was too far away to tell for sure, but he was pretty sure he could see a vein pulsing in the guy’s forehead.  He looked like he was at least three steps passed pissed, and possibly on the brink of violence, except…</p><p>Something was niggling in Steve’s brain, something about this situation that somehow felt familiar.  But before he could put his finger on it, he suddenly realized that Tony was looking… wrong.  Like every bit of strength had abruptly been flushed out of him, and all of a sudden he looked <i>so tired</i>.  Steve didn’t have a chance to do anything about it before the billionaire’s eyes suddenly closed, and he was leaning forward.</p><p>“Rhodey…”</p><p>Steve opened his mouth to shout as he took a step forward, but the other guy was already there, catching Tony in his arms.</p><p>The mood between them changed abruptly.  Where it had been tense and borderline contentious before, suddenly Tony was clinging to this guy like he was the only thing keeping him up.  And rather than looking irritated or upset about it, the guy, Rhodey apparently, was clutching Tony to him just as hard, worry etched on his face.</p><p>“You’ve gotta stop doing this to me, Tones.  You got any idea what it does to me every time I find out you’re in trouble and I might be too late to help?”</p><p>“I know.  I’m sorry.”</p><p>The yelling, the familiarity, the sudden lurch into obvious closeness, the quiet exchange of heartfelt words… Steve figured out what it reminded him of, all of a sudden.  </p><p>This guy was Tony’s Bucky.</p><p>Tony started talking again before Steve had a chance to fall into that particular emotional pit, though he didn’t draw back from his friend yet. “I haven’t seen Pepper yet.  I don’t know where she is.”</p><p>“Well, let’s fix that first.” Rhodey eased back, checked that Tony was alright, and went to the big armor he’d stepped out of.  He rummaged in it for a second before he pulled out a phone and held it out.  “She’s on her way back, but she’s been trying to get ahold of you.  You’re gonna get an earful from her, too.”</p><p>Tony winced slightly as he typed something on the phone, then stepped forward and let his forehead thunk into Rhodey’s chest.</p><p>“You wanna get some shawarma?” Tony mumbled, barely audible as he talked to Rhodey’s belly button.</p><p>“What the hell is that?”</p><p>“Big meat kebab, they rotisserie cook it then cut slices off it and serve it in a pita shell.  Pretty good.”</p><p>“Tony, I really don’t have any interest in finding out what you’re babbling about right now unless it has to do with the hospital or a bed.”</p><p>“Ooh, kinky, didn’t know you had it in you.”</p><p>Rhodey rolled his eyes and patted Tony’s back. “Uh huh, sure.  C’mon.  Let’s go.”</p><p>“No shawarma?”</p><p>“Not until I know you’re not hallucinating.”</p><p>Nodding and managing to look even more tired than before, Tony leaned into Rhodey and let the guy lead the way, an arm around his waist.  He nodded towards the big gray Iron Man armor. “I don’t think your suit is gonna work.”</p><p>“Nah, it’s not.  I wore it out getting here.”</p><p>“I’m not walking all the way back to the Tower.”</p><p>“Don’t gotta.  I called Happy soon as I got a location on you.”</p><p>Tony huffed a chuckle and rested his head on Rhodey’s shoulder. “Buncha worrywarts.”</p><p>Rhodey gave him a light slap upside the back of his head, then ruffled his hair. “Stop making it necessary.”</p><p>As Steve watched them, he felt an overwhelming cocktail of familiarity and warmth and desperate loneliness and mourning.  He missed Bucky so much it was like a gaping hole in his chest, and at the same time he knew how lucky he’d been, and he was both grateful and jealous that Tony had it too.</p><p>With a deep breath and a sigh that seemed to fill every inch of his lungs, Steve took one last look at the two men slowly making their way down the street, then turned around and walked away.</p>
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